A furious row broke today over a Conservative NHS ‘survey’ being delivered in part of Cambridge that critics say could breach data protection laws and mimics official literature. The anger was sparked on X, formerly known as Twitter, when Chris Rand posted a photo of one page of the survey he had received.
And it comes after complaints across the country after party political propaganda has been sent out in many constituencies designed to look like local newspapers.
Chris Carter-Chapman, who is standing as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for South Cambs, posted on Facebook three days ago: “Great to be out in Queen Edith’s tonight despite the rain!” The NHS ‘survey’ is on the right.
Mr Rand wrote on X: “Even worse than pretend newspapers, look at THIS party-political bollocks that's just come through the door, personally addressed. Literally pretending to be the NHS, in an attempt to gather data.”
I'm sure they're not that daft, but it blummin' well should be illegal.
— Chris Rand (@ChrisRandWrites) October 14, 2023
His tweet was accompanied by a photo of the offending survey.
This would appear to me to be a potential breach of Article 9(2)(a) of GDPR which requires the “data subject” to provide explicit consent for “special category data” to be processed for “one or more specified purposes”.
— Matt North (@bionicplanner) October 14, 2023
The ‘survey’ is being circulated in Queen Edith’s ward in Cambridge, the only city ward, which is part of the South Cambridgeshire constituency, and one of the closest marginal seats in the country.
Chris Carter-Chapman, who is standing as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for South Cambs, posted on Facebook three days ago: “Great to be out in Queen Edith’s tonight despite the rain!
@PrivateEyeNews they are at it again but in a very cynical way
— Black Cat Radio's Full English Breakfast Show (@StevoGreenall) October 14, 2023
“Our campaign to ensure local NHS workers receive a cost-of-living uplift in line with their colleagues a stone’s throw away across the county border was well received.”
Queen Edith's is in the south east of Cambridge, containing Addenbrookes Hospital and Medical Centre.
@ICOnews may have a view on this.
As may the police and @NHSCounterFraud – this is clearly passing off which is fraud— SepSciNews (@anatune) October 14, 2023
One X post says of the NHS survey tweet: “This would appear to me to be a potential breach of Article 9(2)(a) of GDPR which requires the ‘data subject’ to provide explicit consent for ‘special category data’ to be processed for ‘one or more specified purposes’”.
Another post said: “The rule book has been thrown on a bonfire. Time for a written constitution I'd say.”
